Yes. Students who wish to receive a copy of their medical records must complete an Authorization for Release of Confidential Information‌ form. Requests will be fulfilled within five to seven business days. Please read the release closely and be careful of what you do with your records. The information is very personal.

NO, all Wellness Center visits are confidential. Loyola does not offer parents access to student medical records, if you are 18 years or older, due to HIPPA regulations. Also, there is no such release form that can be kept on file that enables your parent(s) knowledge of Wellness Center visits. If you want a provider to speak with your parent(s), we will get permission at that time.

Blue Cross Blue Shield offers health insurance to Loyola students for emergency care, hospitalization, visits to a specialist, and other services. Click here for more information about the available plans and how to enroll.

There are a number of ways to obtain the information you want on a variety of health topics. Take a moment to look through the free brochures available in the Wellness Center, ask a nurse, or visit the Health Education office at the Lake Shore Campus Wellness Center. Visit Health Education and Wellness for related links.

Free, anonymous testing is offered at Chicago Department of Public Health clinics. Call 312-747-9884 or TTY 312-744-2374 for more information on city-wide testing sites. The Wellness Center does offer free, anonymous HIV testing as well every 3rd Thursday of the month from 3-6pm. This service is provided by Asian Human Services on a first come, first served basis. You may not make an appointment and must stay at the Wellness Center while waiting to be seen.

The Wellness Center offers confidential testing for common sexually transmitted infections (STI), including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, human papillomavirus, herpes simplex virus, hepatitis, and HIV. A lab fee is charged for these tests. For more information, call the Wellness Center at 773-508-2530.

Yes. The exam includes four main components, including a pelvic exam, Pap smear test (recommended for women age 21 and older), chlamydia test, and a breast exam. A nurse practitioner or gynecologist will perform the examination. An appointment is necessary.

Results from lab tests are usually available in one to three days, although some tests, such as Pap smears, can take up to three weeks to process. If a test result is positive (abnormal) a registered nurse will call you. If the results are negative (normal) you will receive notification by mail.

We are sorry to hear that you were ill and hope that you take advantage of the Wellness Center when you need care. However, we do not provide medical excuse forms.

Each of your professors have his or her own attendance policies. If you are absent due to an illness, you should talk to your professor about how you might catch up with the material you missed. If you are seriously ill and require hospitalization or an extended absence, talk to your professors and/or the Dean of Students Office to decide how to deal with the interruption in your studies.

In keeping with the Jesuit Catholic beliefs about family planning that are espoused by Loyola University Chicago, the Wellness Center does not provide oral contraceptives or other devices for the purpose of preventing pregnancy. Oral contraceptives are prescribed only for medical reasons other than birth control.

Nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses who assess and manage both medical and nursing problems. Their practice emphasizes health promotion and maintenance, disease prevention, and the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic diseases. This includes taking histories, conducting physical examinations, ordering, performing and interpreting appropriate diagnostic and laboratory tests, prescription of pharmacological agents, treatments and nonpharmacological therapies for the management of the conditions that they diagnose. The nurse practitioner serves as a primary care provider and consultant for individuals, families and communities in a variety of ambulatory and inpatient settings.